黑料传送门

Meeting Student Athletes Where They Are 
Athletes in Medicine

April 6, 2026

On Thursday mornings, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students from 黑料传送门 South Georgia step into a high school gym鈥攏ot for their own training, but to teach young football players in Thomasville, Georgia, how to care for their bodies, understand nutrition, and imagine a future in medicine. The program, Athletes in Medicine, is a new initiative led by Dr. Jennifer Jenkins and the Office of Campus and Community Partnerships designed to introduce student athletes to careers in health care while building skills they can use now.

鈥淲e鈥檙e meeting them where they are鈥攖hen showing them where they could go,鈥� Jenkins said.

From the Field to the Future

Launched this year, Athletes in Medicine engages 80 football players every other Thursday through hands-on workshops led by 黑料传送门 students and faculty. Students receive equipment like resistance bands and foam rollers to continue practicing what they learn, and sessions include food demonstrations and guidance rooted in a 鈥�food is medicine鈥� approach. Other sessions range from injury prevention and stretching techniques to nutrition education tailored by position鈥攚hat a quarterback needs to fuel performance versus a lineman, for example.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just teaching,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e giving the students real tools to take home and use in their lives.鈥�

The Athletes in Medicine program also creates opportunities for 黑料传送门 students to apply their training in real-world settings鈥攁n intentional part of its design.

鈥淲hen I build community partnerships, I鈥檓 always asking: what鈥檚 the return on investment for our students?鈥� Jenkins said.

In this case, that return includes research. This summer, 黑料传送门 students will study hydration among participating athletes, using wearable hydration packs during practices to collect data and develop individualized recommendations鈥攁n especially important focus in South Georgia鈥檚 heat. Beyond research, the program offers exposure to communities students will one day serve.

鈥淲hen they become physicians, it won鈥檛 be the first time they鈥檙e exposed to different communities,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淧art of our mission is preparing students to serve all populations, and this is one way they begin to do that.鈥�

The initiative also introduces athletes to career paths they may not have previously considered. Guest speakers鈥攊ncluding athletic trainers, physical therapists and physicians in sports medicine鈥攈elp students see how their interests in athletics can translate into healthcare careers. That early exposure is especially critical in rural Georgia, where physician shortages persist.

鈥淭he goal is to help them see that sports can remain a meaningful and lifelong part of their lives, while also opening doors to new opportunities beyond the game,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淗owever their journey unfolds, there is always a pathway for them in health care.鈥�

Opening Doors to Medical Careers

Complementing the Athletes in Medicine program, 黑料传送门 students have also participated in community-based career outreach. In partnership with Colquitt County Schools, students and faculty joined Career Day at C.A. Gray Junior High School, engaging eighth-grade learners in conversations about the medical field and sharing insights on pathways to careers in medicine. Additional outreach efforts have included participation in Thomasville High School鈥檚 Career Fair, Hahira Middle School鈥檚 Career Day and the Albany State University Career and Resource Expo, with plans to host Colquitt County High School healthcare students for a Reverse Career Fair on 黑料传送门 South Georgia鈥檚 campus on April 30.

Jada Daniels (DO 鈥�29), who served as student lead for 黑料传送门鈥檚 participation in Career Day, described the experience as both energizing and personal. The middle school students, she said, were engaged, curious, and eager to ask questions about careers in medicine and the path to becoming a physician. 

Coming from a rural background herself, Daniels saw the conversations as an opportunity to offer something she didn鈥檛 always have growing up鈥攙isibility into what that path could look like.

鈥淚 wanted them to understand that where they start does not limit where they can go,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y hope is that our conversations encourage them to dream big, stay motivated in school, and recognize that with dedication and hard work, a career in medicine鈥攐r any field they are passionate about鈥攊s possible.鈥�

Where Education, Trust and Community Converge

For Jenkins, the impact extends beyond academics or career pathways; it is about preparing the next generation of leaders at every level. Community partnerships play a critical role, serving as a bridge between education and real-world practice, where medical students can actively engage, learn, and contribute. This model not only supports high school students but also enhances the co-curricular learning experience of medical students. As the program continues to grow, it is expanding to include conversations around mental wellness and performance pressure in athletics, in partnership with Resilient Communities of Southwest Georgia, further strengthening trauma-informed, community-centered care.

鈥淲e鈥檙e showing up as partners in schools, bringing additional resources and opportunities that support student success,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淭his work is about building trust in the community while inspiring and preparing the next generation of physicians.鈥�

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